Cartilage Destruction Blocked by Amazon Rainforest Product

A natural product derived from the Amazon rainforest is a remarkably potent antioxidant, preventing the destruction of human cartilage.

Researchers from the Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland, OH, USA) school of medicine and Albany Medical College (NY, USA) discovered that the product, called Progrado--an extract from a rainforest tree called Sangre de Grado (Croton palanostigma) prevented the destruction of human cartilage by blocking the action of molecular scissors called matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and promoting the production of the cartilage repair factor, IGF-1. According to the researchers, MMPs cut collagen, which forms the backbone of the cartilage, into tiny pieces during states of inflammation and alter the fabric that holds tissues together. The discovery's unique action suggests a broad set of applications in various joint, skin and gastrointestinal diseases, including osteoarthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, and wrinkles, based on their involvement in tissue injury/repair and aging. The study was published in the August 14, 2007, edition of the Journal of Inflammation.

"This is an exciting finding,” said senior author Tariq Haqqi, M.D., a professor of medicine at Case Western Reserve. "This is the first time a natural product has been shown to directly block these molecular scissors while showing potential to stimulate repair. This is a testament to the wound healing properties of this traditional medicine and the distinctive therapeutic opportunities that nature offers.”

Progrado was developed by Rainforest Nutritionals (Raleigh, NC, USA), which develops innovative therapeutics from natural products. Reparagen, another natural product for joint health, was developed by the company with a grant from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA).


Related Links:
Case Western Reserve University
Albany Medical College
Rainforest Nutritionals